Patient perspectives: Kerri Morrone Sparling

With all chronic illnesses, psycho-social support is essential, and diabetes is no exception. Aside from the difficulties associated with careful management, emotional support is an often overlooked need for the diabetes patient.

We speak with Kerri Morrone Sparling, founder of diabetes blog six until me, who “felt alone with diabetes” until she started blogging. Kerri feels that the Internet has opened up a world of support, which has had such a positive influence on her overall health.

Kerri was diagnosed with diabetes when she was a young child and offers the perspective of someone who doesn’t know what it’s like to not live with diabetes. Here she shares her outlook of how she finds living with the disease and why it’s important to consider patients, not just by their numbers, but as a whole person.

3:25 – Ways in which pharma could better interact with patient groups.

4:36 – Ways in which the needs of patients with diabetes are currently not being met and how pharma can help with this.

About the interviewee:

Kerri Morrone Sparling has been living with type 1 diabetes for over 25 years, diagnosed in 1986. She manages her diabetes and lives her life by the mantra “Diabetes doesn’t define me, but it helps explain me”.

Kerri is a passionate advocate for all-things diabetes. She is the creator and author of six until me, one of the first and most widely-read diabetes patient blogs, reaching a global audience of patients, caregivers, and industry. Outside of her blog, Kerri’s work can be found at diaTribe, dLife, and in diabetes outreach like JDRF’s Countdown magazine, in addition to her extensive diabetes YouTube channel. She has a sponsorship agreement with Animas Corporation, manufacturers of the insulin pump she wears every day, and contributes columns and videos to their company website. Well-versed in social media and its influence on patients, Kerri presents regularly at conferences, advocacy events. She currently works full-time as a writer and social media consultant.

Kerri and her husband, Chris, live in Rhode Island, USA with their daughter. She can be reached by email at kerri@sixuntilme.com.